Convalescence

Authors: Craig
Location: California

“Convalescence"

Directed by Rodrigo Garcia
Written by Alan Ball
Score by James Horner
Cinematography: Caleb Deschanel

Principal Cast:

Maria Bello: Sandra, the divorce attorney
Sean Bean: Michael, her soon-to-be ex-husband
Cate Blanchett: Madeleine, the infidel
John C. Reilly: Eric, her oblivious husband
Jennifer Connelly: Miriam, the abused wife
Robert Downey Jr: Nicolas, her violent husband
Nicole Kidman: Anna, the widow
Jennifer Jason Leigh: Ashley, the addict
Helen Mirren: Violet, the mother
Leonardo DiCaprio: Daniel, her son
Samantha Morton: Mia, the alcoholic
Anna Paquin: Valerie, the rape victim
Marisa Tomei: Lindsay, the gambler
Kate Winslet: Amanda, the mute photographer
Michelle Williams: Hannah, the girlfriend
Ben McKenzie: Tom, the drug dealer
and Emma Thompson: Dr. Ryan, the therapist

Tagline: "How do you live your life when nobody's looking?"

Synopsis: The story of eleven women, young and old, who attend the same group psychology sessions. The film follows each of them as they deal with their individual problems and rebuild their lives as they go. It consists of a varied bunch of characters: a teenage rape victim (Paquin), the mother of a violent ex-convict (Mirren), a domestically abused wife (Connelly), a heroin addict (Leigh), the girlfriend of an unsuccessful drug dealer (Williams), a recently widowed painter (Kidman), an aspiring author with an alcohol problem (Morton), a sorrowful adulteress (Blanchett), a divorce attorney dealing with her own split (Bello), a down-on-her-luck gambler (Tomei), and a suicidal photographer (Winslet). These remarkable women share stories and advice and strive to come out on top in one of the most powerful films of the year. Emma Thompson co-stars as the therapist.

What the press would say:

A step up from anything Garcia has ever done, filled with amazing realism and standout performances by all of the actresses. The film starts off with a therapy session, introducing all the characters and their stories. We are then shown clips of each of the women as they weave in and out of each other's lives. The entire cast has received unanimous praise, and they won the SAG award for best ensemble cast. Here is what the critics are saying about them:

Maria Bello- "Best performance of her career. This is sure to get her the nomination she deserves."

Cate Blanchett- "Another virtuoso performance by today's screen goddess. She shines in one of her most difficult roles to date."

Jennifer Connelly- "Quickly becoming today's dramatic actress, Connelly gives the best performance of the film as a quiet, yet vengeful wife."

Nicole Kidman- "Her best performance since Dogville, and her most emotional. She brings her character's grief to life."

Jennifer Jason Leigh- "A very impressive show, very different from anything she's done before. She has a demanding role and she plays it perfectly."

Helen Mirren- "She has an Emmy, and this may well give her an Oscar too."

Samantha Morton- "Definite Oscar bait. Samantha is becoming one of the best actresses of this generation. Her performance is astounding."

Anna Paquin- "I used to think she would never win another Oscar, but Ms. Paquin gives a stunning and demanding performance. It is her best since The Piano."

Marisa Tomei- "Fabulous. This may even be better than her performance in My Cousin Vinny."

Kate Winslet- "She is fantastic in her most daring role yet. The best performance by a lead actress in this decade."

Michelle Williams- "One of the most respected young actresses, Williams delivers in a bravado performance."

Emma Thompson- "Though she seems like more of a backup singer, Thompson's character holds the whole film together, and she did it perfectly."

Potential awards (* indicates win):
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay
Best Score
Best Film Editing
Best Actress- Winslet*
Best Actress-Connelly
Best Supporting Actress-Samantha Morton*
Best Supporting Actress-Marisa Tomei
Best Supporting Actress-Anna Paquin